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The Nature and Limits of Theology: A Response to Rowan Williams
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 January 2024
Abstract
Theology is both a human endeavor and something of Divine origin, insofar as it is a human attempt to make sense of certain Divinely revealed propositions. How does one reconcile these two elements? One attempt to do so was on the part of the Anglican theologian Rowan Williams. In sections I and II of chapter 1 of his work ‘On Christian Theology’, Williams speaks of the nature of authentic theological discourse, that is, theological discourse that has integrity. In his work on theological integrity, Williams explores how human intentions or hidden agendas can potentially warp our attempt to make sense of the truths contained within Divine Revelation. He then goes on to speak of how to avoid such pitfalls. In this article, I will respond to the epistemological implications of William's thoughts on this topic. I will use various ideas from Catholic theology, including the development of doctrines and the notion that faith has both a subjective and objective element, to explore both the strengths and weaknesses of Williams's thought.
Keywords
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- Copyright © 2023 Provincial Council of the English Province of the Order of Preachers
References
1 Cosmic Clips, ‘Richard Dawkins Tells Theology Student Why His Degree Is Useless’, YouTube, December 1, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHoK6ohqNo4.
2 Williams, Rowan, On Christian Theology (Malden: Blackwell Publishing, 2000), pg. 3Google Scholar.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid., p. 4.
5 Ibid., p. 3.
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid., pp. 3-4.
8 Ibid., p. 5.
9 Ibid.
10 Ibid.
11 Ibid.
12 Ibid., p. 6.
13 Ibid.
14 Ibid.
15 Ibid.
16 Ibid., p. 7.
17 Ibid.
18 Ibid.
19 Ibid.
20 Ibid.
21 Ibid., pp. 8-9.
22 Ibid., p. 9.
23 Ibid.
24 Ibid.
25 Ibid.
26 Ibid., p. 10.
27 Ibid.
28 Ibid., p. 11.
29 Ibid., p. 10.
30 Ibid.
31 Ibid., p. 8.
32 Ibid.
33 Ibid., p. 12.
34 Michaele, Nicolau SJ, Sacrae Theologiae Summa, third edition, volume IA, Treatise I, chapter 1, no. 4, trans. by Kenneth, Baker SJ (Keep the Faith, Inc., 2015), p. 13Google Scholar.
35 Ibid., no 5, pp. 13-14.
36 Ott, Ludwig, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, ed. by Bastible, James Canon, trans. by Lynch, Patrick (London: Baronius Press, 2018), p. 3Google Scholar.
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38 Ibid., pp. 170-171.
39 Ibid., p. 169.
40 Ibid., p. 323.
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44 Ibid.
45 Ibid.
46 Ibid.
47 Williams, Rowan, ‘What is Catholic Orthodoxy’, in Essays Catholic and Radical: A Jubilee Group Symposium for the 150th Anniversary of the beginning of the Oxford Movement 1933-1983, edited by Leech, Kenneth and Williams, Rowan (London: The Bowderdean Press, 1983), p. 11Google Scholar.
48 Ibid.
49 Ibid.
50 Ibid.
51 Ibid.
52 Ibid., pp. 11-12.
53 Ibid., p. 12.
54 Ibid.
55 Ibid., p. 12
56 Ibid., pp. 12-13.
57 Ibid., p. 13.
58 Ibid.
59 Ibid.
60 Ibid.
61 McKinlay, Brian, ‘Ludwig Wittgenstein in Rowan Williams's Theological Account of Language’, in New Blackfriars vol. 98, no. 1075 (May 2017), pp. 328-329, 332, 334-335CrossRefGoogle Scholar.
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63 Ibid., pp. 330-331, 334.
64 Williams, Rowan, ‘Introduction’, in The Edge of Words: God and the Habits of Language (London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2014)Google Scholar, p. x.
65 Ibid., p. 62-64.
66 Ibid., p. 65.
67 Ibid., p. 185.
68 Ibid., p. 74.
69 Tomer, P.J., The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 7, ‘Infallibility’ (New York City: Robert Appleton Company, 1910)Google Scholar.
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72 Paragraph 892 of the Catechism even describes the assent of the faithful to the infallible decrees of the Church in rather epistemologically strong terms, as ‘distinct from’ but ‘nonetheless an extension of’ the more general assent of faith.
73 Rowan Williams, ‘What is Catholic Orthodoxy’, p. 14.
74 Ibid.
75 Ibid.
76 Callan, Charles J., The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 7, ‘Orthodoxy’ (New York City: Robert Appleton Company, 1910)Google Scholar.
77 The Oath against Modernism was first put forward in Pope Pius X's motu proprio Sacrorum Antistitum of September 1, 1910, found in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, vol. II, p. 670.